Wikipedia

Miss California

For the state pageant affiliated withMiss USA,seeMiss California USA.For the song byDante Thomas,seeMiss California (song).

TheMiss Californiacompetition selects the representative for the state ofCaliforniain theMiss Americacompetition.

Miss California
Formation1924
TypeScholarship pageant
HeadquartersVisalia
Location
MembershipMiss America
Official language
English
Key people
Adam Smith, Marissa Honey-Plata (State Directors)
WebsiteOfficial website

The pageant began inSanta Cruzin 1924 and was held there in 1925. During the years 1926 through 1946 in years when the Miss California pageant was held, the competition was primarily in San Francisco and Venice, California. In 1947, it returned to Santa Cruz and was held there annually until 1985, after which it moved toSan Diegoin response to years of protests and a "Myth California" counter pageant organized by localfeministactivists led byAnn SimontonandNikki Craft.[1][2][3][4]It has been held inVisalia, Californiasince 2023.[5][6]

Kimberly Vernon ofSanta Clarawas crowned Miss California 2024 on June 15, 2024, at the Visalia Convention CenterVisalia, California.She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

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Results summary

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The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss California titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

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Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Non-finalist awards

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Other awards

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Winners

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  • Declared as winner
  • Ended as a runner-up
  • Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes
2024 Kimberly Vernon Santa Clara 27 Miss Santa Clara County Jazz Dance 100th Miss California
2023 Sabrina Lewis Berkeley 26 Miss Berkeley HERstory PreviouslyMiss California USA2021
2022 Catherine Liang San Francisco 22 Miss San Francisco Piano Women in Business Finalist

Non-finalist Talent Award

2021 Jazmin Avalos[7] Garden Grove 24 Miss Los Angeles County Vocal
2019–20 Eileen Kim[8][9] Orange 22 Miss Culver City Violin Top 15[10]
2018 MacKenzie Freed[11] Lodi 23 Miss Treasure Island Vocal, "Hit Me With a Hot Note"
2017 Jillian Smith[12] Grass Valley 22 Miss Yosemite Valley Piano, "Malaguena"
2016 Jessa Carmack[13] Santa Clara 22 Miss North Bay Gymnastics Dance Top 10[14] PreviouslyMiss California's Outstanding Teen2011[15]
Finalist atMiss America's Outstanding Teen2011 pageant
2015 Bree Morse[16] Garden Grove 23 Miss Orange Coast Tap Dance, "Land of a Thousand Dances"
2014 Marina Inserra San Diego 24 Miss Yosemite Valley Vocal, "Bring Him Home"fromLes Misérables
2013 Crystal Lee[17] San Francisco 22 Miss Silicon Valley Ballet en Pointe, "The Dying Swan" 1st runner-up[18] STEM Scholarship Award PreviouslyMiss California's Outstanding Teen2008[19]
Top 10 atMiss America's Outstanding Teen2009 pageant[20]

PreviouslyMiss Chinatown USA2010[citation needed]

Cousin ofMiss Louisiana2016, Justine Ker[21]
2012 Leah Cecil Garden Grove 22 Miss Southern California Regional Classical Harp, "Great Day" by Nancy Gustavson Contestant atNational Sweetheart2011 pageant
2011 Noelle Freeman Carlsbad 22 Miss Culver City Ballet en Pointe, "The Black Swan Variation" fromSwan Lake 4th runner-up Previously Miss Teenage California 2007
2010 Arianna Afsar[22] San Diego 19 Miss San Diego County Vocal, "I (Who Have Nothing)" Top 10[23] PreviouslyMiss California's Outstanding Teen2005[24]
1st runner-up atMiss America's Outstanding Teen2005 pageant[24]

Top 36 contestant onAmerican Idol's 8th season[25]

Was cast asElizabeth Schuyler Hamiltonin the Chicago production ofHamilton[26][27]
2009 Kristy Cavinder Orange 21 Miss Yosemite Valley Ballet en Pointe, "The Slave Maiden Variation" fromLe Corsaire 1st runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
2008 Jackie Geist Vacaville 22 Miss Hollywood Ballet en Pointe, "The Dying Swan" Top 7
2007 Melissa Chaty[28] Ukiah 24 Miss North Coast Operatic Vocal, "The Jewel Song" fromFaust Top 8 Previously Miss Teenage California 2003
2006 Jacquelynne Fontaine Moorpark 24 Miss Santa Barbara County Operatic Vocal, "Vissi d'arte" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
2005 Dustin-Leigh Konzelman Carlsbad 23 Miss San Diego Fiddle, "Twelfth Street Rag" Non-finalist Talent Award

Preliminary Talent Award 		Contestant onThe Amazing Race 10withKandice Pelletier,Miss New York2005[citation needed]
2004 Veena Goel Laguna Hills 22 Miss Southland Jazz Dance, "Hot Honey Rag" fromChicago 4th runner-up Preliminary Talent Award Contestant atNational Sweetheart2003 pageant
2003 Nicole Lamarche Berkeley 24 Miss San Francisco Vocal, "At This Moment" 4th runner-up Final Night Swimsuit Award

Preliminary Swimsuit Award 		Contestant atNational Sweetheart2001 pageant as Miss Arizona
2002 Jennifer Glover Castro Valley 23 Miss Contra Costa County Contemporary Vocal, "A New Life" fromJekyll & Hyde Contestant atMiss International 1999as Miss USA

PreviouslyMiss California USA2001
2001 Stephanie Baldwin Fullerton 23 Miss Northern California Regional Vocal, "Time to Say Goodbye" Top 20
2000 Rita Ng Tracy 22 Miss Los Altos Classical Piano, "Sonata Appassionata" 2nd runner-up Miss America Scholar Award

Preliminary Talent Award
1999 MaryAnne Sapio Rohnert Park 21 Miss Gavilan Hills Tap Dance, "Go Daddy-O" Non-finalist Talent Award
1998 Danielle Coney Santa Clara 21 Miss Gavilan Hills Vocal, "A Piece of Sky" fromYentl Non-finalist Talent Award

Waterford Business Scholarship
1997 Rebekah Ann Keller Lakewood 22 Miss Los Angeles County Vocal, "Someone Like You" fromJekyll & Hyde 4th runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award LaterMiss California USA2000
1996 Lyndsay Kahler Orange 22 Miss City of Orange Vocal, "Where Is It Written?" fromYentl
1995 Tiffany Stoker[29] Clovis 21 Miss Clovis Vocal, "Think of Me"fromThe Phantom of the Opera 3rd runner-up[30] Preliminary Swimsuit Award PreviouslyAmerica's Junior Miss1992[31]
1994 Jennifer Hanson La Habra 21 Miss Garden Grove Vocal, "Since I Fell for You" Non-finalist Talent Award
1993 Lisa Michelle Duncan Tulare 21 Miss Tulare County Character Ballet, "Turkey in the Straw" Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1992 Patricia Northrup Agoura Hills 23 Miss Los Angeles County Vocal Medley Pilot forAmerican Airlines[citation needed]

Judge for theMiss America 2001pageant[citation needed]
1991 Paige Adams Hemet 22 Miss Los Angeles County Vocal, "Some Day My Prince Will Come" Previously Alaska's Junior Miss 1986

Judge for theMiss America 2008pageant[citation needed]
1990 Maria Ostapiej La Mesa 24 Miss San Diego North County Vocal Medley, "Phantom of the Opera"&" Angel of Music " Non-finalist Talent Award
1989 Wendy Berry San Pedro 22 Miss Centinela Valley Classical Ballet, "The Black Swan" fromSwan Lake Professor at Yale University[citation needed]
1988 Marlise Ricardos San Pedro 26 Miss Lomita Dramatic Vocal, "I Dreamed a Dream"fromLes Misérables 3rd runner-up
1987 Simone Stephens Cerritos 25 Miss El Camino Stand-up Comedy
1986 Lisa Kahre Salinas 19 Miss San Ramon Valley Flute, "Carnival of Venice" Non-finalist Talent Award
1985 Lisa Davenport Santa Cruz 23 Miss San Mateo County Popular Vocal, "Once in my Lifetime" Previously named Miss California 1982 when the original winner,Debra Maffett,won the Miss America 1983 pageant

Became the first titleholder to hold a state title twice[citation needed]
1984 Donna Grace Cherry[32] Northridge 24 Miss West Los Angeles Vocal Impressions "[33]
1983 Shari Moskau Mission Viejo 19 Miss Saddleback Valley Popular Vocal, "Greatest Love of All"
1982 Lisa Davenport Santa Cruz 20 Miss Tulare County Did not compete; later assumed the title after Maffett wonMiss America 1983
Later Miss California 1985
Debra Maffett Anaheim 25 Miss Anaheim Popular Vocal, "Come In From the Rain" Winner[34] Preliminary Swimsuit Award

Preliminary Talent Award
1981 Cheryl Vancleave Riverside 20 Miss Los Angeles County Country Vocal Medley, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool"&"You're Lookin' at Country" Later marriedFrank Kalil[citation needed]

Mother ofRyan KalilandMatt Kalil[citation needed]
1980 Robin Brooks Elverta 23 Miss Fullerton Vocal Medley, "America the Beautiful"&"Battle Hymn of the Republic"
1979 Deanna Rae Fogarty Azusa 22 Miss Azusa Vocal, "Cabaret"
1978 Christine Acton Chula Vista 23 Miss San Bernardino County Flute / Piccolo, "Hungarian Peasant Suite" Non-finalist Talent Award
1977 Connie Lee Haugen Redlands 24 Miss San Bernardino County Vocal, "Nobody Does It Like Me" fromSeesaw Top 10
1976 Linda Mouron Orange 19 Miss Orange County Tap Dance, "Puttin' On the Ritz" 3rd runner-up
1975 Janet Carr San Gabriel 21 Miss Pomona Valley Vocal, "They Call the Wind Maria" fromPaint Your Wagon 2nd runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1974 Lucianne Buchanan Claremont 21 Miss Pomona Valley Harp, "Concerto in B Flat" 1st runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award Assumed title when the original winner, Alice Tobler, resigned due to mononucleosis[citation needed]
1973 Susan Shipley Hillsborough 21 Miss San Joaquin County Piano, "Malaguena" Top 10
1972 Diane Wagner Daly City 20 Miss San Mateo County Ballet, "Swan Lake"
1971 Carolyn Stoner Belmont 18 Miss San Mateo County Gymnastic Ballet, "Malaguena" Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1970 Karin Kascher Castro Valley 18 Miss Hayward Violin, "Méditation" Non-finalist Talent Award
1969 Susan Anton Yucaipa 18 Miss Redlands Vocal, "Get Happy"&"Put On a Happy Face" 2nd runner-up Actress best known for her role as "Susan Williams" in the variousStop Susan Williams!-related television series andtelevision movies[citation needed]
1968 Sharon Terrill Torrance 21 Miss Torrance Dramatic Reading, "Little Word, Little White Bird" byCarl Sandburg Non-finalist Talent Award
1967 Karen Pursell Lindsay 22 Miss Fresno County Vocal, "Much More" fromThe Fantasticks
1966 Charlene Dallas Danville 19 Miss Contra Costa County Piano, "Toccata" byKhachaturian 1st runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award

Preliminary Talent Award 		Assumed title when the original winner, Donna Danzer, resigned for school and personal reasons[35]
1965 Sandra Lynne Becker Covina 18 Miss Los Angeles County Semi-classical Vocal, "Make Believe" Non-finalist Talent Award
1964 Sherrie Raap Fremont 18 Miss Oakland Jazz Baton Dance & Acrobatics Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1963 Wendy Douglas Sacramento Miss Sacramento Vocal, "Summertime" Top 10
1962 Pamela Gamble Carmel 18 Miss Monterey County Classical Jazz Interpretive Dance
1961 Susan Henryson Fresno 19 Miss Fresno County Vocal, "You've Got to See Momma Every Night" Top 10 Miss Congeniality

Preliminary Talent Award
1960 Suzanne Reamo La Mesa 20 Miss San Diego Vocal, "Love is Where You Find It" 1st runner-up
1959 Susan Bronson San Lorenzo 19 Miss Southern Alameda County Modern Dance, "An American in Spain" 3rd runner-up
1958 Sandra Jennings Riverside Miss Riverside Piano, "Clair de Lune" 3rd runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1957 Lorna Anderson Sacramento Miss Sacramento Accordion, "Dark Eyes" 3rd runner-up
1956 Joan Beckett Sacramento Miss Sacramento Dramatic Sketch, "A Dream: Faith Over Atheistic Sciences" Top 10 Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1955 Barbara Harris Santa Cruz Miss Watsonville Vocal, "Over the Rainbow"
1954 Lee Meriwether San Francisco 19 Miss San Francisco Dramatic Monologue fromRiders to the Sea Winner[36] Preliminary Swimsuit Award Actress best known as Betty Jones in the 1970s television seriesBarnaby Jones
1953 Patricia Johns Fresno Miss Fresno Dramatic Monologue fromThe Country Girl Top 10 Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1952 Jeanne Shores Azusa Miss Alhambra Dramatic Monologue 2nd runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1951 Patricia Lehman Sacramento Miss Sacramento Piano
1950 Joanne Durant San Diego Miss San Diego Vocal / Poetry Recitation, "Alice Blue Gown" Top 16 Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1949 Jone Pedersen Santa Rosa Miss Sonoma County Dramatic Monologue, "You Will Come Back" 4th runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1948 Reba Watterson Stockton Miss Stockton
1947 Laura Emery Salinas 18 Miss California Vocal, "So Long for so Long" 4th runner-up Multiple California representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Marilyn Davidson Los Angeles Miss Los Angeles County Vocal / Dress Design, "A Sunday Kind of Love"
1946 Marilyn Buferd Los Angeles 21 Miss Wilshire District Dramatic Monologue fromAccent on Youth Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1945 Polly Ellis Tarzana Miss California Vocal, "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" Top 13 Preliminary Talent Award Multiple California representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Phyllis Mathis San Diego Miss San Diego Hula 1st runner-up
1944 Shirley Ballard Los Angeles Top 12
1943 Jean Bartel Los Angeles 19 Vocal, "Night and Day" Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award

Preliminary Talent Award
1942 Lucille Lambert Hollywood Miss Hollywood Vocal, "Embraceable You" 4th runner-up
1941 Rosemary LaPlanche[37] Los Angeles 18 Dance Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1940 17 Dance 1st runner-up[37] Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1939 Marguerite Skliris San Francisco Miss San Francisco Dramatic Monologue, "The Poison Scene" fromRomeo and Juliet 3rd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
1938 Claire James Los Angeles Miss Los Angeles Dance 1st runner-up
1937 Phyllis Randall Hollywood 20 Miss Hollywood Vocal / Dance 3rd runner-up (tie) Preliminary Talent Award Sister ofMiss North Carolina1941, Joey Augusta Paxton[citation needed]
1936 Phyllis Dobson Hollywood Miss Hollywood Drama 1st runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
1935 Virginia Donham San Francisco Miss San Francisco Vocal, "Chlo-e"&"I Ain't Got Nobody" Top 12
1934 No national pageant was held[38]
1933 Blanche MacDonald Los Angeles Miss Venus de Milo N/A[39] 2nd runner-up
1932 No national pageants were held[38]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927 Ruby Smith Oakland Miss Oakland N/A[39] Top 15 Multiple California representatives

Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
Naoma Farrand San Francisco Miss San Francisco
Bertha Weizel Los Angeles Miss Santa Cruz Top 15
Louise Heathman Los Angeles Miss Southern California
1926 Eleanor Twohig San Francisco Miss San Francisco Competed under local title at national pageant
1925 Fay Lanphier Oakland 19 Miss California Winner Multiple California representatives

Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
Adrienne Dore Los Angeles Miss Los Angeles 1st runner-up
Edyth Flyn San Francisco Miss San Francisco
Yetta Haber Santa Cruz Miss Santa Cruz
1924 Lillian Knight Los Angeles Miss Los Angeles 3rd runner-up Multiple California representatives

Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
Fay Lanphier Santa Cruz 18 Miss Santa Cruz 2nd runner-up
Irma Frazier Oakland Miss Oakland
1923 Violet Regal[40] San Francisco Miss San Francisco Competed under local title at national pageant
1922 Katherine Grant[41] Los Angeles Miss Los Angeles Multiple California representatives

Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
Tanssia Zara[42] San Francisco Miss San Francisco
1921
No California representative at Miss America pageant[43]

References

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  1. ^Clemens, Samuel (2020).Pat: A Biography of Hollywood's Blonde Starlet.Sequoia Press. p. 31.ISBN978-0578682822.
  2. ^"Police Arrest 11 Demonstrators in Protest of Pageant",Associated PressinOxnard Press-Courier,June 17, 1986.
  3. ^Bacon, Amity (2005-05-22)."Miss California Pageant united the community and served as a platform for protest".Santa Cruz Sentinel.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-30.Retrieved2007-05-18.
  4. ^Kirsten Anderberg,"Radical body politics for women",KirstenAnderberg.com2004
  5. ^Hoagland, Doug (2007-07-01)."Pageant crowns San Diego woman".Fresno Bee.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-08-13.Retrieved2007-07-01.
  6. ^"Miss California History".Miss California. Archived fromthe originalon October 13, 2018.RetrievedAugust 21,2014.
  7. ^Valenzuela, Larry (June 25, 2021)."Sixth shot is sweet spot for winner of 2021 Miss California competition Friday in Fresno".The Fresno Bee.RetrievedJune 27,2021.
  8. ^Pope, Troy (April 6, 2020)."Miss California 2020 postponed".YourCentralValley.com.RetrievedJune 6,2020.
  9. ^Galaviz, Anthony (June 29, 2019)."Fourth time a charm for new Miss California. 'I wasn't here to just win the crown,' she says".The Fresno Bee.
  10. ^"Miss America 2020 Pageant: Top 15 Contestants Revealed LIVE".Heavy.com.December 19, 2019.
  11. ^Esparza Loera, Juan (June 30, 2018)."Miss California 2018 MacKenzie Freed heading to a revamped Miss America".Vida en el Valle.
  12. ^Panoo, Ashleigh (July 1, 2017)."Miss California crowns its champ, and the winner is…".The Fresno Bee.
  13. ^"North Bay's Jessa Carmack is crowned Miss California 2016 in Fresno".fresnobee.Retrieved2018-02-22.
  14. ^Wiegle, Lauren (September 11, 2016)."Miss America 2017 Pageant: Top 10 Contestants Revealed LIVE".Heavy.com.
  15. ^Cheng, Cynthia."Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2011 is Jessa Carmack".Silicon Valley Voice.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-12.Retrieved2018-06-12.
  16. ^Santos, Nicole (June 27, 2015)."Miss Orange Coast wins Miss California crown".The Fresno Bee.Fresno, CA:McClatchy.RetrievedJune 28,2015.
  17. ^Fernandez, Lisa (September 16, 2013)."Crystal Lee, Miss America Runner-Up, a Stanford Grad, Techie".NBC.
  18. ^Oldenberg, Ann (September 17, 2013)."Miss America crowns 2014 winner".USA TODAY.
  19. ^Obeegadoo, Nikhita (September 23, 2013)."Crystal Lee '13 is first runner-up in Miss America 2014".The Stanford Daily.
  20. ^"Next in Line for Greatness".Pageantry Magazine.August 20, 2008.
  21. ^"52 Fun Facts About This Year's Miss America Hopefuls".Cosmopolitan.com.11 September 2016.
  22. ^Boyarsky, Alexia (January 10, 2012)."UCLA students juggle their academic workload with pageant competitions".DailyBruin.com.
  23. ^"Pride of the Plains".Pageantry Magazine.
  24. ^abAbel, Fred."A Thunderous Teen Success".Pageantry Magazine.
  25. ^"American Idol Audition of the Day: Arianna Afsar".The Hollywood Gossip.2009-02-03.
  26. ^"Casting for Chicago's 'Hamilton' announced".Chicago Sun-Times.July 13, 2016.
  27. ^"UCLA alumna Ari Afsar lands role in Chicago production of 'Hamilton'".Daily Bruin.September 16, 2016.
  28. ^"Miss North Coast Melissa Chaty wins 2007 Miss California crown".The Lompoc Record.Associated Press. 2007-07-01.Retrieved2007-07-01.[dead link‍]
  29. ^"BYU Student Is Crowned Miss California for 1995".Deseret News.July 10, 1995. Archived fromthe originalon October 25, 2014.
  30. ^Roberts, Roxanne (September 17, 1995)."Miss Oklahoma Wins, So Does Pageant Tradition".The Washington Post.
  31. ^"Miss California" Woman of Year "".Cumberland Times News.June 29, 1992. p. 2.
  32. ^Deitering, Debra Maddox, "The Miss America Pageant's Influence on the Self-Construction of its 1985 Contestants" (2001-12-1). Master of Arts Thesis. University of Nebraska at Omaha.
  33. ^"Miss California 1984".YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  34. ^Toscano, Louis (September 12, 1982)."Debra Sue Maffett: Miss America 1983".United Press International.
  35. ^"Beauty Wins Miss California Crown, Then Gives It Up".The Los Angeles Times.June 27, 1966.RetrievedMarch 8,2021.
  36. ^Gilfillian, Trudi (September 16, 2013)."1955's Miss America Lee Meriwether's crown was first to be televised".Press of Atlantic City.
  37. ^ab"Miss Delaware to Give Atlantic City Beauties Run for U. S. Honors".Wilmington, Delaware:The Morning News. September 4, 1941.
  38. ^ab"Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950".PBS.Archived fromthe originalon 2017-02-15.Retrieved2020-04-19.
  39. ^abSchnitzspahn, Karen (September 8, 1997)."There She Was – Miss Long Branch".Asbury Park Press.Asbury Park, New Jersey.p. 4 – viaNewspapers.com....talent contest that was established in 1935.
  40. ^"Extra Attraction".The San Francisco Examiner.San Francisco, California.August 22, 1923. p. 11 – viaNewspapers.com.
  41. ^"Reporter, Dazzled by Beauty of Six Pageant Entrants - Sees Hard Job Ahead for Judges".The Indianapolis Times.Indianapolis, Indiana.September 5, 1922. p. 1.
  42. ^"Delegates".The Leavenworth Times.Leavenworth, Kansas.September 8, 1922. p. 5 – viaNewspapers.com.
  43. ^"1921 Candidates".Miss America.
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